The invention dyes satisfy a long felt need in the disperse dye industry. They are tinctorially strong, navyblue monoazo dyes of low water solubility which are useful for dyeing and printing polyester, polyamide, and cellulose acetate substrates in any form. Each of the invention dyes has a balance of the desirable dye properties described hereafter. In addition to this balance of properties, each dye displays one or more unexpectedly superior property characteristics from among those discussed.
There are several publications disclosing disperse dyes which dyes, however, fail to provide the balance of properties displayed by the invention dyes. Such publications include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,016,944, 2,045,324, 2,266,142, 2,359,305, and Japanese Pat. No. 47/35353. The invention dyes have good affinity, buildup and leveling properties on the above described substrates. They are relatively insensitive to temperature variations during dyeing and to the effects of trace metal contamination during dyeing. They are also resistant to hydrolysis during dyeing, notably in high temperature processes. The dyes provide finished dyeings exhibiting good fastness to light, to thermal fixation, to sublimation, and to pleating. The invention dyes provide dyeings having good wetfastness including fastness to water, to sea water, to washing, and to perspiration. The dyeings are also resistant to rubbing, and to the effects of ordinary solvents such as those used in drycleaning. Dyeings made with invention dyes also have good gas fume fastness such as resistance to ozone and to chlorine. Dyeings made with the invention dyes also have the ability to withstand the rigors of precure and postcure permanent press finishing and soil release finishing.